As the sole point of contact between you and the road, tires are one of the most important components of your truck or SUV. They affect braking distance, handling around corners and traction on slick pavement. Off-road, the best tires give your vehicle the grip to crawl over rocks and through mud. With an eye on safety, ride comfort, durability and performance, we analyze expert and owner reviews to pick the best truck and SUV tires.

Best all-terrain truck/SUV tire

Reviewers say the Cooper Discoverer A/T3 is the best all-terrain truck tire because it excels as both an off-road tire -- with great grip in the mud and snow -- and as a comfortable tire for the daily driver. It's also very safe, with excellent stopping and water-shedding in professional tests. Cooper includes a 55,000-mile prorated warranty.
See our full review

Best all-season truck/SUV tire

The Michelin LTX M/S2 proves it can handle all types of weather, performing at the top of the all-season class. In professional tests it delivers excellent braking on dry or wet pavement and strongly resists hydroplaning. These truck tires provide a smooth, quiet ride, and Michelin's six-year, 70,000-mile warranty is one of the best available.
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Best budget all-season truck/SUV tire

The Continental CrossContact LX20 EcoPlus is a safe and stable all-season SUV tire, with first-class handling that matches more expensive models. It brakes exceptionally well on both wet and dry roads, and delivers a comfortable ride. With a six-year, 70,000-mile warranty, the Continental is one of the longest-lasting tires in the budget category.
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Best mud tire

The Goodyear Wrangler MT/R with Kevlar features aggressive tread and Kevlar-reinforced sidewalls to maximize grip and durability, crawling past the competition on rock courses and through muddy trails. Its well-rounded design delivers excellent performance in sand, snow and on pavement, with a ride that's smoother than the average mud tire. The 3,000-pound load range is one of the best.
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The right tire makes all the difference in the performance of a light truck or SUV

Braking, accelerating, steering and suspension have one thing in common: The quality of your tires affects them all. A bald set of tires can lead to rough rides or -- even worse -- cause you to lose control of your vehicle. The wrong set of tires isn't much better. The right rubber, on the other hand, "will offer the responsiveness necessary for obstacle avoidance, short stopping distances that aid panic braking situations, and road-holding grip under both dry and wet conditions," says the Car Care Council.

Though tires often appear to be very similar, the difference in performance and handling can be night and day between sets. The best truck tires and SUV tires are strong in specific categories, but none of them excel across the board, according to professional comparisons. That's why experts recommend that buyers consider how and where they will drive, and then pick the type of tire that best fits their needs. For trucks, SUVs and crossovers, three main types of tires are available to choose from: all-season, all-terrain and mud tires. For passenger cars, see our report on Tires, which tend to be slightly less expensive than those aimed at the truck crowd.

All-season tires are the best type of tire for most drivers. Designed with pavement performance in mind, these give drivers a quieter, more car-like experience. The best all-season truck tires combine this comfortable ride with safety features for stability on curves, short braking distances and adequate traction on wet streets. They have the lowest rolling resistance of the three tire types to boost miles per gallon. Top models can manage light snow and ice, but if your region gets heavy snowfall, consider switching to a winter truck tire, which will give you better grip on slick and snowy roads. To find the best winter tires, visit our report on Snow Tires.

All-terrain tires are best for highway driving with occasional off-road adventures. The best all-terrain tires maintain a good balance between highway performance -- quiet and smooth enough to be comfortable for most daily drivers -- while keeping enough aggressive tread to crawl through mid-range off-road trails. According to a leading consumer organization, many models of all-terrain truck tires have enough grip for accelerating on snow-packed roads, but none are very good at braking quickly when roads are icy. The increase in traction also cuts down on the tires' rolling resistance, so users should expect lower miles per gallon when switching to an all-terrain truck tire.

Mud tires have maximum grip for rock-crawling and dirt trails. Their open tread patterns are designed to break through mud without getting stuck, and their sidewalls are reinforced to withstand punctures from rocks. On the highway these features increase tread noise and gas consumption while creating a stiffer ride. The flexibility to manage different types of terrain is essential. "A good mud tire will return ample traction where it matters most, and then transition smoothly to the next task you throw at it," says Robin Stover from Four Wheeler Network.

Unless otherwise noted, all prices in this report refer to 245/70R17, a common size for SUVs and trucks. Prices may be higher or lower for different sizes.

ConsumerSearch editors evaluated dozens of professional road tests and hundreds of owner reviews for all types of truck tires. We narrowed down the field by focusing on safety features -- including braking abilities, handling on corners and resistance to hydroplaning. From there, we picked truck/SUV tires that combine excellent performance with comfort and durability, and found several top models in a range of prices. Match one of these to your budget and driving needs to find the best tire for you.

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